Luminous tube sign



July 14, 1931. c. F. COVEY 15,814,831

' LUMINOUS TUBE SIGN Filed Oct. 18. 1929 INVENTOR Patented July 14, 1931 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES CLARENCE F. COVEY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCAULEY AUTOJMIIATIL} TRAP COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LUMINOUS TUBE SIGN Application filed October 18, 1929. Serial No. 400,528.

This invention relates to luminous tube signs, and particularly to the mounting of such signs. The invention constitutesan improvement on the invention of Werner I.

5 Staaf, J r., disclosed in application Serial No.

348,897, filed March 21, 1929.

Luminous tube signs, such, for instance, as the well-known Neon signs, are comprised of glass tubing bent to the desired contour and having a rarefied gas content therein with an electrode at each end of the tube. A relatively high voltage is impressed on the electrodes, necessitating that the tubes be mounted in spaced relation to the panel or supporting structure on which they are carried.

The tube is bent in such a manner that different portions of the sign are at different elevations from the base or supporting structure. This necessitates the use of supporting means of different heights on different portions of the sign. I

In the application of Werner I. Staaf there is disclosed an elevation post in the form of a. glass stem having a saddle thereon providin g a seat for the tube, and the tube is secured to the saddle by means of wires. The stem of the tube is provided with a projection that passes between convolutions of a helical spring. By turning the glass post relatively to the spring, it will screw up or down to vary the height of the post. Such an arrangement, while providing effective insulation, permits the use of a single size of post instead of aplurality of posts of different heights. The spring has the additional advantage of providing resilience so that break age of the sign from shock and mechanical strain is materially reduced. Tube manufacturers have found that by the use of such 40 a post the breakage of the tubes of the signs during the manufacture thereof is very considerably reduced.

The Board of Fire Insurance Underwriters has required that a certain minimum distance be maintained between the sign and any 'metal part of the elevation post which is in contact with the base or supporting structure on which the sign is carried. The structure shown in the Staaf application is open to to theobjection that the glass post can be screwed down into the spring until the underside of the saddle at the top of the post contacts directly with the metal spring. In this position, the minimum insulation between the tube and the metal is not maintained. This same objection exists in all oigllier adjustable elevation posts-now availa e. 7

According to the present invention there is provided an elevation post wherein the min imam-space between the metal and the tube can always be maintained without interfering materially with the adjustability of the post. The invention, furthermore, provides a novel method and means of securing the tube to the top of the post, and'provides a saddle on the post of such construction that a tube has a two-contact support on the post.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a luminous tube sign showing the glass post screwed into the spring to the maximum extent;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the glass post lifted or extended to a height beyond that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the elevation post;

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the first step in wiring or. tying the luminous tube to the post; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the completed step of tying the tube to the post.

In the drawings, 2 designates a luminous tube sign.- It is supported above a base or supporting structure 3 by means of elevation posts. The elevation post comprises a glass stem 4 having an elongated head or saddle portion 5 at the top thereof. In the top of the saddle is a V-shaped recess 6 into which the tube 2 sets. By reason of the slope of the inclined sides of the recess 6, the tube contacts with the saddle at two points, so that the saddle provides a firm support, and tends to assist in holding the tube against sidewise movement. Because of the V-shape ofthe grooves, the post is adaptable for use with all the different diameters of tubes commonly employed in the industry, and is loo equally satisfactory with any diameter. Heretofore elevation posts, as shown in the Staaf application, have had a rounded seat so that the tube, the curvature of which did not conform to the curvature of the seat, made contact with the seat at only one oint, and did not have a firm contact wit the 0st. P The stem 4, which is preferably made of solid glass, has a transversely elongated elliptical projection 6 thereon. This projection has fiat top and bottom surfaces, and is entered between the convolutions of the supporting spring 7. The spring 7 is held firmly on the base 3 by means of a screw 8 which passes through the eye 9at one end of the wire which forms the spring. The elongated sides of the projection 6, extending between the convolutions of the helical spring 7, tend to force the adjacent convolutions of the spring apart. This increases the binding efi'ect of the springfon.

the post, holding the glass post against relative movement with respect to the sprin This binding action is efiective even though the diameter of the post 4 is materially less than the inside diameter of the spring. The projection, of course, acts as a thread for causing the post to move up or down with respect to the spring when the post is rotated relatively to the spring. The binding effect of the elongated projection 6 is just as great as if a complete thread were actually formed on the post. Theelliptical ends of the projection serve to decrease the resistance to the turning of the post with respect to the spring, so that the sign builder can easily and quickly adjust the post to the properheight. Where a small projection was used, the projection was found to frequently bind between the convolutions of the spring and the turning of the post with respect to the spring could only be accomplished with difficulty.

Projecting down from the underside of the head of the saddle 5 on one side of the stem is a rib 10. This rib is adapted to contact with the upper end of the spring when the post is screwed down so as to limit the 'adjustability of the post downward. This is clearly shown in Figure 1, where the end portion 7a of the spring is in contact with the rib 10, preventing further rotation of the post with reference to the spring in a'direction to move the post downward. By reason of the provision of the rib 10, the distance between the top of the spring and the luminous tube is constant, and it is impossible for the manufacturer of the-sign 'to violate the provision of the underwriters, either intentionally or unintentionally. At the same time, should a shorter post be desired than the post shown in Figure l, the sign builder can very easily shorten the post by merely clipping off the upper part of the spring.

For instance, if the sign builder Were to clip off the portion of the spring above the dotted line AA, he could screw the post down into the spring farther until the end of the spring can come in contact with the rib 10. At the same time, theminimum distance between the to o f'the'spring and the luminous tube would he maintained.

In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown the tube 2 as being secured to the post by means of two separate wires passing around the tube and under the saddle, these wires being designated 11. For the purpose of preventing the wires from slipping out from under the saddle, the under portion of the saddle has a slight rib 12 at each end thereof.

In order to do away with two separate tie wires, as shown inFigures 1 and 2, I form the tie wire into a loop of hairpinshape, as shown in Figure 4. The loop is then inserted under the saddle, one leg of the loop passin to each side of the glass post. The loope wire is designated 13 in Figure 4. The closed end of the loop, and the projecting ends of the two legs of the loop are then bent up over the top of the tube, as shown in Figure 5, and the closed end of t he loop and the free ends thereof are then twisted together, as indicated at 13a in Figure 5. I

This manner of tying the tube to the top of the elevation post is ust as satisfactory as the use of two separate wires, and the single v loop canbe applied just as quickly as either one of the tie wires 11 in the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2. This method of securing the tube on the post therefore saves the sign builder considerable time... signs may have. several hundred elevation posts, and this method of securing the tube to the post is therefore :of considerable ad vantage to the sign builder.

The elevation post constructed in accordance with the present invention is adjustable within' the limits required in commercial practice, and still maintains a construction in which the minimum of insulation between the'tube. and the post is always provided. Likewise, the invention assures of the proper required spaeing'between the tiewir'es whlch pass around the tube, and the metal spring. It provides a'construc'tio'n which is resilient and thereforerelieves "the tube of strain and, inefi'ect, provides a cushioned support for the tube. At the same time,'due to the tight bearing'fof the convolutions of the spring against the upper and lower faces of the pro jection 6, there is no looseness between the glass post and-the spring. The invention, moreover, provides a quick method of secur- ,ing the. tube on the seat, and the seat of the tube is one in which the tube has a two-point contact, so that it is held firmly against the sidewise movement relatively ,to the elevation post. I v

lVhile I have shown a preferred embodi- Some ment of my invention, it will be understood 7 that-various changes and modifications may be made therein within the contemplation of my invention and under the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an elevation post for luminous tube signs, a post member of insulating material having a stem with a seat at the top thereof, a helical spring into which the stem projects, a projection on the stem entered between adjacent convolutions of the spring, and a vertically extending rib on the stem adapted to contact with the end of the spring and limit relative movement between the post member and the spring.

2. In a luminous tube s gn, an elevation post of insulating material, a helical spring u into which one end of the post projects, and

a transversely elongated el pitcal projection on -the post projecting between the convolutions 0 the spring.

3. An elevation post for luminous tube I signs comprising a stemof insulating materia'l having an elon ated head at one end thereof and having t e other end thereof received within ahelical-spring, a projection on the stem'passing between convolutions of the spring-and a ribon the stem extending partl down thestem toward said projection and ormingan obstruction tolimit theturningfinoveme'nt of the postwith-respectto the spring.

In testimony whereof. I. vhave hereilnto set myhand. 

